as in improvement
an instance of notable progress in the development of knowledge, technology, or skill
Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin was one of medicine's great breakthroughs, for penicillin became the first antibiotic to successfully combat bacterial infections in humans
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Recent Examples of breakthrough
Because Uncle Sam has dulled the economic incentive to create the next breakthrough.
—
Elaine Parker, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
But Quiet Light’s breakthrough feels painfully short-lived.
—Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026
Pipeline breakthrough The political greenlight for the loan package came after Russian oil began flowing to Hungary and Slovakia again through the Druzhba pipeline that crosses Ukraine.
—Karel Janicek, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Ella Langley made her Stagecoach debut on Friday evening, appearing at golden hour in front of thousands gathered to see the breakthrough star’s set.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breakthrough
Elaine Parker, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026
But Quiet Light’s breakthrough feels painfully short-lived.
—Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026
Pipeline breakthrough The political greenlight for the loan package came after Russian oil began flowing to Hungary and Slovakia again through the Druzhba pipeline that crosses Ukraine.
—Karel Janicek, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Ella Langley made her Stagecoach debut on Friday evening, appearing at golden hour in front of thousands gathered to see the breakthrough star’s set.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breakthrough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breakthrough
Noun
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Sometimes, the departure of an underperforming executive or official presages improvements ahead.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
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The upgrades the city is proposing to fund include pedestrian bridges, a dedicated rideshare parking lot, a roof over the stadium plaza, digital signage and other improvements around the stadium.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Neither player was in warmups in advance of Wednesday night’s game.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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The curd will need to chill for 8 hours after it's made, so make sure to prepare it in advance.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But Gernsback's innovation of collecting previously-diffuse bits of literature ruminating on scientific discovery or technological advancement in one place proved to be an idea with staying power.—
Chris Klimek,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
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The case stands as a powerful example of how advancements in forensic science, particularly utilizing DNA and forensic genetic genealogy, continue to transform cold case investigations, delivering answers even decades after crimes occur.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breakthrough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breakthrough. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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